Jul 4, 2013
How to describe our first few days on the Camino de Santiago. Well it rained. Then it rained some more and then for good measure it kept on raining. Being from Ireland there’s very little I haven’t seen when it comes to precipitation, but I saw every type possible over those first few days. I felt like Forrest Gump in Vietnam: “One day it started raining, and it didn’t quit for four months. We been through every kind of rain there is. Little bitty stingin’ rain… and big ol’ fat rain. Rain that flew in sideways. And sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath. Shoot, it even rained at night…”
However our spirits were undimmed, even if our clothing was more than slightly damp. We had a great group of people on the Way. All told we started with seven, but the Camino, being the Camino that number soon grew. It’s a pilgrimage that seems to attract a certain type of person, who is looking for something, even though they’d struggle to say what it was. There are easier ways to spend a week, but the beauty of the countryside, the camaraderie of the pilgrims and the sense of solitude you carry with you make it an unforgettable journey. (more…)
Jun 17, 2013
Tomorrow we’re off along the Camino, beginning the first week of a 500 mile journey that finishes at the shrine of St. James in Santiago de Compostella. The Camino, or the Way as it is sometimes known, has been walked by pilgrims from around Europe for well over a thousand years. The route we’re taking begins just inside the boarder of France, crosses through a stunningly beautiful pass in the Pyrenees, before heading into the Navarre region of Spain. We’ll wind our way along roadside, forest path and river bank on our way through pilgrim towns like Roncesvalles, Estella and Pamplona.
But the Camino is more concerned with the journey within than without. The beauty and the slowness of the Way invite the pilgrim to clam their soul, move to a different rhythm of life, and listen to still small voice of God. The Camino has become increasingly popular over the years among a wide variety of people. It’s called people of all religious creeds and none. But most importantly it succeeded in engaging many who are looking for something new or seeking something that was lost. It’s a journey of discovery where the way is as important, if not more so, as the destination. It about the times of solitude and silence walking by yourself, taking in all the life around you. It’s also about sharing the Way with others; listening to their stories and offering some of your own.
Over the next week we’ll be posting photos on our Facebook page so keep an eye out and you’ll be able to track our progress as peregrinos del Camino de Santiago de Compostella!
May 25, 2013
Yesterday was all about engagement. It’s more than just a buzz word. It’s about looking at how we as a Church in general and as vocations directors in particular outreach to young people. Sixty vocations directors from a wide variety of religious congregations gathered in the Emmaus Centre in Dublin to share, brainstorm and realise new and exciting ways of making contact with people considering a call to religious life and the priesthood. (more…)
Apr 5, 2013
A two hour Mass. You can’t be serious! In one respect you are absolutely right. Some of the most wonderful celebrations of the Eucharist are to be found in Lourdes during the annual Irish Pilgrimage Trust / HCPT week in Lourdes. It really about celebrating faith and community in an atmosphere that’s almost impossible to describe. (more…)
Mar 14, 2013
If you are looking for an altogether different experience this summer you can find yourself on The Way. For the first time we are organising a pilgrimage for young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 to walk along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela or the Way of St. James this June. It’s an outward and inward spiritual journey, where we take the time to walk together, reflect and enjoy an unforgettable experience that continues to draw people from all around the world.
Our Camino pilgrimage will take place from the 18th to the 25th of June. We should have people coming from both the UK and Ireland, so the plan is that we’ll meet in Biarritz airport in the afternoon of the 18th. Flights from Dublin and London with Ryanair both arrive around 3:00pm. From there we’ll journey by train to St. Jean Pied de Port where we’ll have dinner together and then start our journey the following morning.
On our first day we’ll walk through a wooded pass in the Pyrenees, crossing over from France to Spain. Then we’ll descend into the beautiful Navarra region of Northern Spain. Over the following six days we’ll journey along the ancient route that has been followed by pilgrims for well over a thousand years, as it winds its way through towns, forests, countryside.
It’s an opportunity to take time out from a busy world and to walk in a relaxed manner. Each morning as the sun rises we will start with a simple prayer and reflection. Then shouldering our packs we set off for the horizon, meeting people along the way or perhaps walking in solitude, depending on what you feel like at the time. In the evening there’s an opportunity for Mass if you wish and then a meal with a glass of wine as the sun sets.
This first week of the Camino will finish in the ancient Roman town of Logroño, capital of the La Rioja region. For those who are planning to continue we’ve arranged the dates of this pilgrimage so that they should reach Santiago in time for the feast of St. James on the 25th of July. We plan to walk the next week of the Camino in the summer of 2014 and continue each year until we arrive at Santiago de Compostella.
The cost of the pilgrimage is pretty reasonable. People will arrange their own flights and transfers to Biarritz and back home. Accommodation along the Camino is in Albergues or dedicated pilgrimage hostels. They cost around €10 / £8.50 a night. Then you need to account for food. The towns where we will stay offer pilgrim menus for around €12 / £10 for a simple three course meal. You can pick up other basics during the day in the many small stores along the route. Excluding flights and transfers about €40 / £35 a day should be more than adequate.
If you’d like some insight into the Camino check out the film The Way released in 2010, starring Martin Sheen. It gives a good flavour of what you can expect.
If you’re considering it and are not sure feel free to email me or give me a call on (075) 26764236 (UK) or (086) 7857955 (Irl). People may be concerned about the level of fitness necessary. You don’t need to super fit, but a moderate level of fitness is desirable. We are planning to meet before the actual in pilgrimage for a walk to get to know one another and help us to get started.
It promises to be an incredible experience. Find yourself on The Way.
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Jan 2, 2013
Vocations ministry in 2012 hit the ground running. From the launch of our website in February we’ve been around the world and back again and we’ve taken part in loads of exciting festivals, events and celebrations. 2013 however is going to be bigger, better and even more exciting!
We’ll continue with many of the events of last year. There’ll be a pilgrimage to Lourdes with the Irish Pilgrimage Trust after Easter. The exploreAway discernment programme will run through Spring, as six young people consider their call to religious life and priesthood. The Knock Summer Festival and the Brightlights WYD gathering are among the highlights of the summer. (more…)
How to describe our first few days on the Camino de Santiago. Well it rained. Then it rained some more and then for good measure it kept on raining. Being from Ireland there’s very little I haven’t seen when it comes to precipitation, but I saw every type possible over those first few days. I felt like Forrest Gump in Vietnam: “One day it started raining, and it didn’t quit for four months. We been through every kind of rain there is. Little bitty stingin’ rain… and big ol’ fat rain. Rain that flew in sideways. And sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath. Shoot, it even rained at night…”
However our spirits were undimmed, even if our clothing was more than slightly damp. We had a great group of people on the Way. All told we started with seven, but the Camino, being the Camino that number soon grew. It’s a pilgrimage that seems to attract a certain type of person, who is looking for something, even though they’d struggle to say what it was. There are easier ways to spend a week, but the beauty of the countryside, the camaraderie of the pilgrims and the sense of solitude you carry with you make it an unforgettable journey. (more…)
